davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-01-26

"Where did you get that watch9" said
her husband, as she very ostentatiously
pulled out watch and looked at it.
II bought it"
"a present2"
"No; I bought it for myself. I Icouldn't
help it. I couldn't see q poor family
starve, and I bought the woman's
watch"
"Just like you," he said. "You're
always doing something kind-with my
money"
"You're not mad, John, are you?"
"No; let me look at it. What did you
give for it2"
Forty dollars"
"Forty dollars!' and the husband be-
gan exa mining it.
"I'll tell you how it happened. I was
passing along the street and there was an
auction going on in store.'
Gan auction! Ohw
eyes, I was listening and looking,
and as I stood there poor, distressed
man came up. He pulled out this watch,
and he asked the auctioneer if he'd auc-
ton it for him. He said his wife and
family were starving, and this was an
old family heirloom and he wanted
to sell it. Well, the auctioneer he
said he'd sell it, and he put it up, and
all they'd bid for it was 81. The poor
fellow began to cry. Its worth $780,
he said. Wont somebody give more
than str I can't sell it for that. I've
had an offer of $45.' And I got mad
and sorry for the POOR man, and l bid
S., and somebody bid 50, and bid SO.
and finally they got it up to $40, and I
bought it. Poor fellow! The man
went off quite relieved and happy, and
Ifelt so happy that I'd done ago0d deed
at bargain"
"Yes, the poor chap was relieved I
don't doubt it. This watch is worth $1.75,
and that was q mock auction, and that
distressed looking man was a capper for
the establishment. He does that twenty
times day."
ooh, Johnm
"Just like you, my dear. Always do.
ing something stupid-with my money"
San Francisco Chronicle.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-01-26
Novel PreparatiOns For War.

Battalions of schoolboys are forming
in France. A number OF mayors Of aron-
dissements are enlisting youths OF from
sixteen to twenty years of age, forming
companies equivalent to the regular mi
litia. They are armed with chassepots.
One corps alread Y has 500 members.
They take their rihes home with them,
instead of depositing them in the arsenal
after drilling.
The Watch. dog Battalion of the Prus.
sian Army IS being veIy carefully trained
for service. The dogs are intended pri-
marily to convey intelligence from the
advance posts to the main body of the
regiment, and are taught to trot to- and
fro, carrying a tiny portfolio of dis
patches round their necks. They are al
so to warn the outposts of an advance of
an enemy during the night, and are
trained to hunt up the wounded, or those
who have lost their way. Two dogs are
attached to each company of Chasseurs.
Frank LeSlie's.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-01-26
CheirOSoDhY.

It was cold and bleak without, but
warm and bright within. They sat side
by side near the glowing CRATE, and
watched the Pickering freight as it
danced among the bric-a-brac on the ta-
bles. They were both in deep thought,
and no sound was heard save the signing
of the wind among the trees in the Or
chard and the measured tick of the or
molu clock which rested on bracket
against the opposite wall, and over which
was suspended snow shovel covered
with violet velvet and trimmed with pink
satin ribbons.
"It was not an hour, nor scene for ought
But love and calm delight"
The youth was manly in appearance, and
the maiden vision of beauty, and judg-
ing from their attitude and adjacency
they were lovers. Suddenly the maiden
broke the silence, the poetic silence:
"Have you heard of this new science
called cheirosophyl" she asked, in tones
sweeter than the musical tinkling of a
silver bell.
81 have, darling" he answered in ac-
cents of ineGablc tenderness; "not only
heard Of it, but have given it conaidera'
bic study"
"Dear mel" exclaimed the maiden.
"I am surprised. You have studied
chcirosophy2 Then perhaps you will
give me some instruction in the science. v
"Certainly, my own. Please let me
have your hand"
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-01-26
The Story Of q Greek Statue.

vi itors to the Paris Louvre of late
may have noticed a remarka' lie little
statue labeled "a Young Athenian Girl. !"
The story of its discovery and acquisi-
tion, just disclosed by the Paris Temps,
forms curious pa e in the history of
antiquities. A peasant of Patissia, while
digging in the fields, suddenly me
across an old statue. Knowing that the
Greek law forbids the exp rtation of
ancient objects of art found in the
country and that foreign amateurs are al
ways ready to pay high price for them,
he at once took it home and hid it under
heap of fagots. He then went to the
French ami assador, who was we'll known
for his love of such relics, and offered it
to him for 12,O0Of. The ambassador re-
paired secretly to the PEASANTS dwelling
to examine it, and found it was bona
fide gem of the fourth century. He tele-
graphed the discovery to the French
Ministe: of Fire Arts, who authorized
him to conclude the bargain. But there
was serious difficulty to overcome, and
that was to get out of the country with
out being detected by the customs AL
luOEILlcS. hllel SOIue EcueCIlou, lue dul-
bassador instructed the peasant how to
set to work. He was to hide the statue
in CARLOAD Of vegetables, drive down
to creek on the seashore, where he
would find boat from French sloop
stationed at the Pirtus waiting to re-
ceive him. The job was performed sue
ccssfully. The statue, IN the midst of
the vegetables, was shipped on the boat,
and the 12,C00f was handed to the
peasant by the captain as he left the
shore. On the arrival of the statue in
Paris, it was placed in the Louvre, not
far from the famous Venus Of Milo, while
its discoverer, the poor Greek peasant, is
now leading the life of small gentle
man farmer on the proceeds. Pail Mall
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-01-26
The sY.G0ing PariSians.

OF all places in the world Paris is the
place in which it is easiest to gather a
crowd, writes correspondent of the
New York Times. Americans are wont
to rail at the slow-footed messenger boy
and the absent-minded car conductor,
but nowhere in the wide universe are
the people so unanimously in favor of
lounging and lettering as in the French
capital. The shopkeeper stands on his
threshold and chats; the policeman gos-
sips with the newswoman; the hack
driver lolls back in his vehicle until sum.
moncd to work, and everybody makes
rush for the point at which the presence
of dozen persons indicates that some:
thing or other is to be seen. A crowd
of 1, 600 men, women and children can
be gotten together in five minutes in any
part of the town.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-01-26
The Tree of Death.

On the New Hope BATTLEFIELD was o
tree upon which the soldiers nailed the
inscription, "Tree of Death" Seven
Fcderals were killed behind the tree by
Confederate sharpshooters. The tree
was in advance of the Federal line and
was about three hundred yards from the
Confederate works. 1t was used By
Federal slsirmishers, who would stand
behind it and load and then step out and
fire. Confederate sharpshooters went
along the Confederate line for nearly a
mile in each direction, and then. being
so far from the side OF the tree that they
could see behind it, by a cross firing
made it as dangerous to stand behind
the tree as to stand in front of it. Seven
Federals were killed behind the tree, and
it came to be known as the ''Tree of
Death. ."-Atlanta Constitution.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-01-26
WOMAN'S WORLD.
PLEASANT LITERATURE FOR
FEMININE READERS.
The Girls That Are Wanted.

The Girls That Are Wanted.
The girls that are wanted are good girls
Good girls from the heart to the lips;
Pure as the lily is white and pure,
From its heart to its sweet leaf tips.
The girls that are wanted are home girls
Girls that are mothers right hand,
That fathers and brothers can trust too,
And the little ones understand.
The girls that are wanted are wise girls
That know what to do and to say;
That drive with u smile or soft word
The wrath of the household a.'ay.
The girls that are wanted are girls OF sense,
Whom fashion can never deceive;
Who can follow whatever is pretty,
And dare what is silly to leave.
The girls that are wanted are careful girls,
Who count what thing will cost:
Who use with prudent, generous hand,
But see that nothing is lost.
The clever, the witty, the brilliant girl,
They are very few, understand;
But oh! for the wise, loving home girls
There's constant and steady demand.
-Netv York Ledger.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-01-26

'Oh, Georgep' murMured the maiden,
overwhelmed with confusion, and Grim.
son with bushes, "this is so sudden"
'.What is so suddea7' the youth asked,
in surprise.
"Your asking for my hand" trem-
blingly responded the maiden, "but-
there-what can I do but refer you to pa,
and believe me, dearest, you need have
no fear of the result. He will certainly
consent to my becoming your wife"
Then throwing herself on the neck of
her lover, the maid gave vent to her
emotions in a food of happy tears.
Let US draw the curtain over this af-
fecting scene.-Boston Courier.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-01-26
But She Thrashcd the Boys.

News has reached St. Joseph of q
shooting affair which occurred at Flag
Springs, Mo. The parties to the affair
were Miss Alice Woodcock, teacher of
the di,trict school, and three of her pu-
pills. three boys-thc oldest ten and the
youngest eight-namcd Elrod and Mule
nix, two o. the last named being broth
ers. The teacher, as punishment, was
attempting to compel the younger Mule
nix to kiss another boy. He refused, and
she attempted to whip bin, when his
brother told her he would shoot her if
she didn't quit. The teacher then turned
her attention to the elder brother, when
young Elrod handed him pistol. This
Mullenix pointed at the teachers breast
and pulled the trigger. The pistol was
not discharged, and the teacher closed
with the young man, who tried it again,
putting a bullet through Miss Wood
cocks hand. Despite the wound, the
teacher succeeded in soundly thrashing
all three of the young rufiians. AS soon
as school was out they ran away, and
got as far as Barnard, where they were
arrested and returned to the Springs.
The wound in Miss Woodcock's hand is
a serious one.-S. Louis Globe Democrat.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-01-26
BUTTONHOLES
MADE HERE.

The little, old, grayhaired woman who
lives in the house said that she made a
very good living by working buttonholes.
1t was a disagreeable task, she said, but
that was her gain. Women who spend
weeks making dresses did not have the
patience to work the buttonholes, and
were cnly too glad to let the Job out to
an expert at the business. A dozen but
tonholes were worth twenty-five cents,
and, as the old woman was able to work
six dozen in day, the income was
always sufficient to keep the wolf from
the door. There are seven recognized
buttonhole makers in the city, nearly all
of whom are kept busy the year round
Chicaq0 Herald.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-01-26
A Wife'S RuSe.

Here is little story I heard 'tother
night at dinner: A gentleman who was
going off to Russia on business desired
his wife to place her picture in his trunk.
"You know, DEAR" SAID he, II never
travel without your photo, and Marc
Gambler has rendered you to the very
life."
"You old humbug. I don't believe
you ever look at it. You only say this
to please me for the moment" replied
the better half, who had her suspicious.
'.That's unkind, dearest. Before 60
to sleep I always take long, lingering
look at you, kiss you, and then 60 off into
the land of dreams with you in my eye,
as one may say"
The little morocco case was placed in
the trunk as usual. When the ''hu5by"
returned and she unpacked his things she
asked:
"Did you look at my picture while you
were away"
every night. It was my supremost
comfort"
81 don't believe you"
"Ah"-with q we'll simulated sigh
''that is unkind."
Whereupon the wife opened the case
and showed him that she had taken the
picture out before she had placed the
case IN the trunk-just to "bowl him
out" But he was in q degree equal to
the occasion. He remarked: 81 saw the
picture had been tampered with, my own
love, but used to kiss the case because
YOU had been there. ."-AmericaH Regis
ter
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-01-26
Significance of Precious Stones.

S1Sn1UCanCe VI ITCCiOuS otohCSs
August, sardonyx; insures conjuga1
felicity.
June, agate; insures long life, health
and prosperity.
December, turquoise; gives success,
especially in love.
April, diamond; denotes faith, inno-
cence and virginity.
May, emerald; discovers false friends
and insures true love.
February, amethyst; preventive
against violent passions.
January, garnet; constancy and tdel-
ity in every cngag, ment.
March, tloodstone; courage, wisdom
and frmness in affiiction.
November, topaz; fidelity and friend
ship, and prevents bad dreams.
September, sapphire; frees from en-
chantments and denotes repentance.
October, opal; denotes hope and
sharpens the sight and faith of the pos
SCISSOR.
July, ruby; discovers poisons and cor
re is evils resulting from mistaken
friendship.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-01-26
His Narrowest Escape.

II presume, General, you have had
some very narrow escapes" said a pretty
Dupont Circle girl to an old war-horse
of celibate proclivities.
"Oh, yes; that is part of our busi-
ness," he replied nonchalantly.
s'Tell me about some of them. l do
10 love stories of adventure when the
story.teller is the adventurer. Tell me
The very worst of them all, she cried,
with pretty flush of excited intcre t.
"Um-um," he muttered, scratching
mis- head, so as to sort them over for the
choicest: "um-let me see-well, I was
engaged to be married once"
One was all she wanted Washington
Critic.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-01-26
Women of Corfu.

Imagine, for example, this lady clad
in a voluminous gown of blue satin
worked with flowers, with white lace
covering over her shoulders; an enor-
NOUS head dress of white muslin girt by
a vast wreath of natural pink roses and
orange blossoms, with ponderous gold
earrings reaching to her shoulders; neck
lace aud bracelets of gold, and thor
ough breastplate of antique goldsmith's
work. She is marvellous spectacle, and
sits still with her brown eyes in fixed
stare, moving only when absolutely ne
ccssary, and then with the utmost care
for her decorations. Other ladies have
towering coiffures of white and crimson
dresses of blue, scarlet or green, and sill
vcr buckles in their shoes; and they are
all dotted with bits of gold. Another
picturesque detail is the old Greek fem
mime head dress of a crimson skull-cap
with gold coronal, from which thick
gold tassel hangs at one side. Civiliza
ton has ousted this pretty and becom
ing head-dress from Athens and the
Greek cities. Corfu merits the more
praise, therefore, for preserving it.
Nothing could better harmonic with the
regular features which are sill a char
acteristic of the native Greeks. The
Corfiote women, however, seem to have
more in common with the Southern ltal
ians than with the Hellenes. s.-AN h'
Yeu, R0und.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-01-26

SUPERINTENDENT Foot, of the Mex1-
can Railway, says that 10000 steel ties
have been laid between Vera Cruz and
Mexico since 1888, and 10000 have
been ordered for this year, and it is
proposed to lay 10000 to $4,000 yearly
hereafter. He PUTS in 1000 per mile,
brought from England, where they cost
about IS each, and delivered on the
road not more than 50 in Mexican sill
yer. The wooden ties used to cost geo
to $1.62 each. .
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-01-26
Better Than Nothing at All.

In society:
Observation-Disclosures Mr.. Blank pro-
posed to me last night"
Mother-"Did you accept him, daugh-
ter"
Daughter-"Ycs,m mamma
Mot6er-"Has he any money, daugh.
ter2"
Daughter-"only $1,000 a year,
mamma"
Mother-Well, daughter, handle him
carefully till spring. Possibly you can
pick up something better during the
winter. - Washington Critic.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-01-26
The Dudes Hands.

eyes, my hands arc soft," said a
dudish and conceited young fellow the
ether night in q small company. as he
admiringly looked at those useless ap-
pendages that had never done q day s
work. "Do you know how I do it," he
exclaimed proudly. "Iwear gloves on
my hands every night to sleep in"
"Do you sleep with you hat on also"
asked pert young woman.
And the young fellow replied in the
negative, and looked Wonderingly be-
cause the company smiled.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-01-26
BUDGET OF FUN.
HUMOROUS SKETCHES FROM
VARIOUS SOURCES.
Successful Bribing - Pa Wanted
Peace-The Dudes Hands-His
Narrowest Escape-An Expert
ment in Human Nature.

Little Nell-'T caught sister Maud en-
gaging herself to another young man last
night an she hasn't sent off e first one
yet"
Little Kitty-"Ain't that nice! Did
you tell on herr"
Little Nell-"No, she buy. d me of. !"
Little Kitty-"What did she do?"
Little Nell-She said if I'd keep quiet
she'd give me one of 'em when I grow
ur.-IId- Bits.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-01-26
Scripture Names OF Heaven.

Heaven is called 'thouse." A faith.
er's house Is home. Gods house is to
be the eternal home of all his children,
hence all the hsllowed sentiments that
cluster around the home may enter into
our conception of heaven. 1t is home
whose inmates will not be separated, and
through whose portals death will never
pass. It is a home that will never be
clouded by discord or by jealousy. It
is a beautiful home, by the river and tree
of life. It is spacious home, a house
of many mansions.
It is called 'city." Cities when well
built and well governed are places of
greater security than the isolated homes
of the open country In heaven no robber
norassassin can molest the inhabitants.
A city is place of peculiar privileges.
In them gather the wealthy and the
learned, by whose presence and employ
ments all are benefited. In heaven are
to be gathered the spirits of just men
made perfect. There can be no better
society than that. A city is more stable
than villa or hamlet. There single
fire or tornado may destroy, while city
will survive thousands ef disasters and
grow continually in beauty and in
strength. Heaven, the New Jerusalem,
is "a city which hath foundations, whose
maker and builder is God"
It is called an 'inheritance," and it is
said to be one that is ':incorruptible, un-
defled, and that fadeth not away" No
selfshness, no dishonesty, no legal tech
nicality will ever deprive the children of
God of this promised inheritance.
Heaven is termed "the holiest." To
the Hebrews, this reference to the sane
tum sanctorum of their temple was very
significant. Heaven is the holiest place
in the universe, a place where we may
enjoy the blessedness of exemption from
all sinful influences.
It is called a "kingdom." 1t is
place where the will of GOD will be done
promptly and perfectly. 1t is q mon
archy of love.
Heaven is called "a better country
In the human heart there is restless
longing for something better. The
Israclites in Egypt longed for freer and
better home; the Huguenots of France
fed to lands of greater liberty; the
Puritans of England thought that in
America they should find better home,
and Eastern people still follow 'the
Star of Empire" seeking a better coun-
try. We are proud to think of this
great Republic as the grandest country
beneath the circle of the sun, but there
is 'better country, that is, heavenly
where imperfections and failures are un-
known, where all the inhabitants dwell
in prosperity and in contentment. Here
we are strangers and pilgrims, there we
shall be citizens, and shall reign etcrnally
with Christ the King.
Heaven is called "paradise," or park
or garden of pleasure. 1t is "a land Of
pure delight" In the vision on Patmos,
John saw rivers, fruits and luxuriant
foliage. There the redeemed shall
dwell forever, "plucking fruit from trees
perennial, while God himself shall bend
tho houoh Obserrer"
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-01-26
An Experiment in Human Nature.


''Human nature is queer thing said
one commercial traveller to another while
lettering in q railway station. "Now,
s'pose you and I try little experiment.
We will not let on that we are acquainted
at all, and will happen to meet at the
cigar stand. You buy 5-cent cigar and
I'll buy two for quarter. Then We'll
both sort of linger as if we wanted to
talk with the cigar man. Which one OF
US do you suppose he'll talk with2 Why,
mith me, of course, because I buy the
high-priced cigar And the chances are,
too, that, though he'll be polite enough
to you to your face, your back viii no
sooner be turned than he will say some
thing mean about you. Let's try it.
The other commercial traveller agreed,
and, approaching the cigar stand, they
proceeded to carry out the programme.
But instead of snubbing the 5-center the
cigar-stand man turned his back on the
tWo-for-a quarter customer and began
talking with the other. Whereupon the
proposer of the scheme quit in disgust
and walked away. He was presently re-
joined by the other.
"Your ideas Of human nature did not
appear to pan out in this case" he re-
marked.
ssNo. What did the fellow have to say
after I left you2"
"Oh, nothin' much. He said he s'posed
you thought you was better than COM
mon folks because you were putting on
style with two-for-a-quarter cigars, and
added that he'd bet five dollars you
didn't have a holeless pair of socks to
your name."- Chicago Herald.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-01-26
Pa Wanted Peace,

Mr.. Bliffers Ito his daughter)-"Eliza,
did you read this article about Liszt?"
Eliza Cat the piano)-''Yes, pa"
"Did you notice that he said people
must play the piano with their soul1"
"Yes, pa"
"Well, Eliza, just put your hands in
your pocket and pay with your soul till
I'm through reading. ."-Omaha World.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-01-26
RELIGIOUS READING.
Christ Within.

Why wouldst thou teach my soul to rise,
And seek for Jesus in the skies3
bHe 20 far apart
Are skies better dwelling place
Than mans celestial heart and face,
Made pure end bright with heavenly grace'
Oh, find Him in thy heart. '..
Why wouldst thou teach my thirsty soul
To wait till death shall make it wholea
Is Christ 80 far away2
Oh, no. see Him now and near;
In my own beating heart hear
His trobbing life, His voice of cheer:
He turns my night to day.
Then cease thy looking here and there,
And first Of all thy heart prepare.
By purity from sin,
And then lit up by Heavens bright glow,
Thy soul Of truth and love shall know
That Heaven above Is heaven below,
And Christ is found within.
BY Prof. T. C. Upham.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-01-26

Norfolk, Va, is the greatest straw
berry shipping place in the world.
Among the many strawberry farms in
its neig ghborhood is one of 44O acres, the
largest strawberry farm in the world.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-01-26

Horses arc not fully matured until fix
years of age, nor do they arrive at their
full strength until eight years old. I'm.
mature animals are often overtexed and
their future usefulness injured.